SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — A teenager who survived a trip to Hawaii as a stowaway in a plane’s wheel well says he hopped on the closest flight that was going west and can’t believe he survived the journey.

Fifteen-year-old Yahya Abdi spoke over Google Chat to KPIX-5 in his first public comments since his improbable survival during the 5 1/2-hour flight from San Jose, California, to Maui. The interview was reported on Tuesday night.

Abdi, a Somali immigrant, had run away from his Santa Clara home and hopped a fence at Mineta San Jose International Airport.

He told KPIX he spoke to his mom, who is in Africa, on the phone on Tuesday.

His mom, Ubah Mohammed Abdule, confirmed the conversation to The Associated Press.